Was a criminally casual approach to releasing water from the Larji hydropower project by the authorities responsible for 24 engineering students and a tour guide from Hyderabad being swept away in the Beas river?

Many are now pointing an accusing finger at the project officials for releasing 250 cumecs of water without proper warning on Sunday. And that too in peak tourist season when many people from across the country flood the riverbanks of Himachal Pradesh.

The dam authorities say they were well within their rights to release the water in hurry and that they had sounded the mandatory hooters in time. Angry local, however, challenge this version and claim that the hooter was sounded after the accident as a face-saver.

The rulebook says dam authorities must inform the state and local administration so that people in downstream could be alerted about the rise in water levels. But Mandi deputy commissioner Devesh Kumar said, "I did not receive a phone call from the authorities and I have no idea if they sent a written communique."

Local people of Thalout, Shalanala and other surrounding villages alleged that Larji hydroelectric project authorities released water unusually at evening time. They otherwise open the gate of reservoir during night time.

Mostly, they release water after 9 pm and blow hooters to warn people. On Sunday, they released a large quantity of water in evening time. Yet, we did not hear any hooter," a resident, Shiv Lal, alleged. He said the warning hooter was blown after 24 students and their tour leader were washed away.

Locals said that usually, water is released slowly by operating gates of dams in a way that water level do not rise suddenly. "We don't know why the gates were opened suddenly. Water levels went up not just suddenly, the river got flooded in a matter of moments," said Deena Chand, another local.

Agitated residents, who had blocked the national highway on Sunday evening, said local residents can understand what it means when hooter is blown, but how tourists would know that water level is going to increase without any reason. Those who have no idea that there is a reservoir behind those hills feel that going close to water is quite safe when it is not even raining.

Himachal Pradesh High Court said that in case the water has been discharged without any warning as alleged, then prima-facie it is established that it is not only a case of callousness, but a case of grave negligence on the part of the project authorities.

"It cannot even be said to be an error of judgment or accident inasmuch as it was the duty of the authorities to have at least issues a warning and resorted to the usual and common method of blaring the siren so as to ensure evacuation from the river bank before discharging water. Therefore, the project authorities have prima-facie displayed callous and wanton disregard to their duties," the court added.

Beas River Tragedy

Was a criminally casual approach to releasing water from the Larji hydropower project by the authorities responsible for 24 engineering students and a tour guide from Hyderabad being swept away in the Beas river?